Isn't the entire institution an encroachment by the government on something that is fundamentally religious, as well as an encroachment of religion on contract law? Why is the government allowed to say what kind of ceremonies churches are allowed to have and why are churches allowed to say what kind of contracts people are allowed to enter with each other? Wouldn't it make much more sense to have two completely separate institutions, one called marriage where religious people have their ceremonies, but is completely outside the law, and another called civil unions (or something else, I don' care) where any two people (or maybe more, I don't care) over 18 can enter contract to combine assets and visitation rights and what not?